[[http://xkcd.com/566/ http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_matrix_was_only_one..png]]
[[caption-width:183:[-''{{XKCD}}'' discussing ''TheMatrix''.-] ]]

Amongst fans, Discontinuity is the act of mentally writing out certain events in a show's continuity which don't sit well, no matter if it's a single episode, [[Main/DorkAge a season-length arc]], or even an entire series. If a plot or [[SnicketWarningLabel ending]] rubs one the wrong way severely enough, fandom can just decide that the offending events never happened. On the series level, events may fall under Discontinuity because the show is perceived to [[Main/JumpingTheShark suck at that point]]. Events also get "discontinued" for particularly screwing up the characters or setting, and a show that starts to suck will end up screwing things up eventually anyway.

In effect, the opposite of {{fanon}}. (And not unrelated, either -- much Discontinuity has resulted from violations of fanon.) While extremely negative audience reactions may lead to an offending storyline being [[AuthorsSavingThrow officially removed from canon]] in response, Discontinuity specifically refers to when ''fans'' disregard a storyline ''regardless'' of the creators' opinion on it.

For questionable elements ignored or written out of canon by the [[WordOfGod creators themselves]], see CanonDiscontinuity, or at the very least, a DiscontinuityNod. If, on the other hand, the controversial element is somehow reworked into being tolerable or even popular, it's been RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap.

It should be noted that this can be justified in cases of RunningTheAsylum, as it's clear the people in charge are largely trying to impose their own {{fanon}}.

Sometimes discontinuity comes from not liking a very specific element while still enjoying everything else. When this happens, you've applied BroadStrokes to the {{canon}}. Not to be confused with NegativeContinuity.

This is a very subjective trope, more based on the fandom than the event itself. The visceral response to {{Discontinuity}} can baffle other fans who don't take the event as seriously, or even *gasp* like the event. Please only post examples of the fandom disregarding an event; posting Personal Discontinuities [[strike:could]] ''did'' get messy, and should only be posted in [[TroperTales/{{Discontinuity}} Troper Tales]]. Also, using this as a {{pothole}} is generally rather rude and irritating, ''so don't'', unless you want to use CanonDiscontinuity instead. If you would rather forget about it, then don't put it on the examples list then!

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!!Examples
* Discontinuity/{{Anime}}
* Discontinuity/ComicBooks
* Discontinuity/{{Film}}
* Discontinuity/{{Literature}}
* Discontinuity/LiveActionTV
* Discontinuity/{{Meta}}
* Discontinuity/{{Music}}
* Discontinuity/NewMedia
* Discontinuity/NewspaperComics
* Discontinuity/ProfessionalWrestling
* Discontinuity/RealLife (a/k/a "Historical revisionism")
* Discontinuity/TabletopGames
* Discontinuity/VideoGames
* Discontinuity/{{Webcomics}}
* Discontinuity/WesternAnimation
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